You have a blog, but you’re not getting a ton of sticky traffic. What’s the problem? You know that people are finding your site, but they’re bouncing off pretty quickly and never coming back. Maybe what you need is more authority. Sometimes, users will find a site, but leave if they don’t think it’s an authoritative site. Users want to know the information they’re reading is accurate and up-to-date. That means not hiding the date, author, and doing a few other things that are major trust signals.
Cite References
Have you ever read a book, article, or blog post that didn’t cite references? It sort of turned you off didn’t it – especially when the author made a lot of very “matter of fact” statements? Users want to know that what they’re reading is factual. The best way to do that is to cite references.
When you compose epic blog content (and that should always be your aim), you want to cite references for your material. If you’re writing about some aspect of Social Security, for example, link out to the Social Security Administration’s website when you get into the nitty-gritty details.
Any numbers, statistics, or quotes need a reference. You can also put references at the bottom of your blog post in AP style. It makes the post look like it was professionally written and users can check out the source material if they really want to. Plus, it makes your content very linkable. Users won’t be ashamed of sharing it – after all, you cited research papers, magazine articles, and books written by other people with PhDs and whatnot.
Write Often
Writing on a consistent basis also helps with your authority and credibility. While there are some blogs that can get away with infrequent posting, it usually does you no favors to disappear for months at a time. Whether you choose to blog once a week, once per day, or once per month, make sure you set a schedule and stick to it.
This is especially true if you’ve grown a loyal RSS following. People add your blog because they want to read it. If you don’t update it regularly, users may think you’re not serious, you don’t have much to say, or that you’ve abandoned the blog.
Write an eBook
You want to become a recognized authority in your niche? Write an eBook and distribute it via Amazon.com or any other site that allows you to sell eBooks. You can also give it away for free – though this might backfire on you if people end up perceiving the book as low value.
There’s something about being a published author that automatically adds legitimacy to almost everything you say. Suddenly, people start quoting your book, passing it out to friends, and you’re getting contacted by the new media and other bloggers for interviews.
The best thing that can come out of an eBook is the publicity – and this isn’t a bad thing. It may not initially lead to a fire hose of traffic, but it will eventually produce stellar results on that front if you do a good job on the PR.
Jacob Wilks is a brand consultant. He loves to share his best tips for building a strong brand on small business websites. Check out the clear wireless internet review link to learn more about services in your area.
